Dara’s smile was self-satisfied. “So you’ll vote for the senator?”
“I like Kendrick. I’ll vote for him again.”
Relief lit her face. “Good. Would you consider taking part in the rally we’re having in a couple of weeks?”
“I don’t think I’ll have time.” He rose, eager to end the discussion. “I’d better go. Raine will be wondering where I am.”
How Amy had missed this church. Her church family in the city was nice enough, but talk went as far as “Hi, how are you?” before everyone wandered into their favorite pews. She probably knew the people in this church better than those she’d sat beside for fifteen years at her other church.
She sat in the third pew on the left beside Libby and Alec and listened to the pastor bring the service to a close. Alec had reluctantly allowed Amy to hold little Noah, who was wrapped in a blue receiving blanket. His eyes were closed and his tiny mouth sucked at nothing.
The church had been built back in the eighteen hundreds, and while the solid oak pews had no padding, the seats had been worn comfortable by worshippers over the decades. A stained-glass window depicting Jesus in Gethsemane in rich tones of garnet, gold, and green was centered in the platform wall, and other beautiful windows lined the sides of the building.
At the final amen, Amy rose and handed over Noah to his daddy before she began to greet the friends she’d made over the years. Someone touched her arm, and the tingle that shot along her skin made her turn. Curtis and Edith stood waiting their turn to say hello. Curtis had little Raine in his arms, and her wide eyes took in everything.
“When you have a minute, I need to talk to you,” Curtis said.
Amy glanced around. The church was clearing out. “Now is fine.”
Curtis gave Raine to his aunt. “I’ll be right back.” He ignored Raine’s shriek of “Stay!”
Amy frowned as she followed him to a quiet corner. “Is something wrong?”
His eyes were somber. “I wanted to tell you something Dara Anderson told me last night after you left.”
“What did she say?”
“She works for Senator Kendrick.”
“Oh? You’d think I’d know her, then. My family is good friends with the senator and his family.”
Confusion clouded his eyes. “You are?”
She nodded. “He and Ben were good friends, and my father is a big supporter of his campaign.”
Curtis rubbed his forehead. “This makes no sense, then. Dara said Ben and Kendrick had a big argument, and the senator was about to call security and have him thrown out.”
“What?” Amy shook her head. “I seriously doubt that.”
“Why would she lie? It came out in an innocent way. She wanted to know if she could count on my vote even though my sister’s boyfriend had made a scene in the senator’s office.”
“Boyfriend? I thought they were just friends. Ben was engaged.”
“They were more than friends.” He hesitated, then touched her shoulder lightly before dropping his hand to his side again. “She said Ben appeared to be drunk or on drugs. His eyes were bloodshot and he slurred his words.”
She exhaled. “Your aunt said the same thing. It would take something catastrophic for Ben to drown it with drugs or alcohol. Ben liked being in control.”
He shrugged. “Well, I thought you’d want to know. This incident happened a couple of weeks before he died. Right about the time of Gina’s death.”
“Thanks. I’ll see what I can find out.” She followed him back to the group. This was not something she’d expected to hear about her brother. Could he have been involved in drugs somehow?
Josh and Alec were talking and they waylaid Curtis, so Amy stepped past them and rejoined Libby standing with Edith.
Edith smiled when Raine reached for Amy. “She likes you already.”
Poor little motherless baby. Amy took the child. “You smell good, honey.” She nuzzled the little one’s smooth neck, sweet with the scent of baby wash.
“You should have a bunch of those babies yourself,” Edith said.
Amy’s heart squeezed, but she managed to keep her smile. Why did she do that? Hide the pain instead of being honest? It wasn’t just here either. All around her she heard people asking, “How are you?” and others answering, “Fine.” They all wore masks. It hurt too much to lay all the pain out for someone to see. It was something she couldn’t talk about yet.
“I’d love for you to come to dinner. How about Monday night? Curtis should be home by five. I make a killer enchilada.”
Amy’s heart stuttered. “I’d love to.” She glanced toward Curtis from the corner of her eye as he stood next to Josh. “Can I bring anything?”
“Just your pretty face.”
“How about dessert?”
“If you want. But don’t go to any trouble. I thought it would be fun for Raine to get to know . . .” Edith went red, then cleared her throat. “Get to know you.”
Amy eyed Edith’s discomfiture. “I’d like that too.” Was she playing matchmaker?
Edith cleared her throat again. “Wonderful. See you around five.” She took Raine, then hurried off toward the exit while Raine called, “Stay.”
Libby lifted a brow. “I think she’s trying to match you up with Curtis.”
Amy’s cheeks heated. “I thought she might be.”
“But you agreed to go. I think that says something. There’s some kind of heat between you and Curtis. I can feel it every time he’s around.”
“Heat?” Amy laughed. “I wouldn’t say that exactly.”
Libby chuckled. “But you’re interested.”
“I’m interested in getting his help to figure out what happened to Ben. That’s all.”
Libby’s smile widened. “And that’s why your cheeks are so red, right? It’s okay to admit he’s quite a hottie.”
Amy fixed her friend with a stern glance. “You’re still a newly-wed. You shouldn’t be noticing such things.”
“I’m happily married, but not dead,” Libby said primly. She shifted Noah to the other shoulder.
Amy laughed, but her gaze went back to Curtis. Maybe she did like him, but it was just friendship. “Want to come back to the cottage for lunch?”
“Sure,” Libby said. “It’s Delilah’s day off, so I’ll take any excuse not to cook.”
EIGHT
Amy threw together shrimp scampi and a salad for lunch. Alec ate his weight in shrimp, then he stretched out on the sofa with Noah asleep on his chest and took a nap. Heather was working.
Libby rose from the rocker by the fireplace and patted her tummy. “I’m fortified with food and ready to check out Ben’s room with you if you’re sure you want to.”
“I’m sure.” Amy led the way up the stairs to the first door on the right.
Ben’s door had been shut ever since Amy had arrived. She steeled herself to turn the knob and step into the room. When she pushed open the door, the scent of Ben’s cologne was almost a physical blow to her midsection. She paused in the hall and gulped in courage.
Libby touched her arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She wasn’t fine, but she hated to show weakness. It had always been her job to keep smiling and make sure everyone else was taken care of. Ben, her parents. They all looked to her to find the silver lining of any situation.
Amy forced herself to walk through the doorway. “Look for anything that will help us figure out why Ben seemed tense those last few weeks. Who might have been calling him. A-And if he might have been involved with drugs.”
Libby glanced around the room. “Can you get his cell phone records?”
“I can try. The problem is, my parents don’t want me stirring up anything. They might have to be the ones to request them.”
“Unless Tom could do it.”
“He thinks it’s a prank too.”
Libby pulled open the drawer in the bedside table. “I’ll have Alec talk to him. It can’t hurt to at least look int
o it.” She riffled through the drawer. “Nothing much but pens, paper, a few clips, and a flashlight.”
Amy eyed the dresser, then resolutely opened the top drawer. It held his underwear and socks as well as his swim trunks, but it was in disarray.
She frowned. “Ben was the neatest person I ever met. His clothes were always perfectly folded and arranged. This drawer looks like someone dumped everything in here without folding it.”
Libby joined her at the dresser. “You think someone searched the room? Check the other drawers.”
Amy pushed everything aside until she was sure nothing was there but clothing, then went to the next drawer of shorts and T-shirts. It was in the same condition. So were the other two drawers. “Someone has been here. Ben would never leave his things like this.”
“Someone was looking for something. You need to make sure you tell Tom.”
Amy nodded and moved to the closet. Clothing lay like confetti on the floor. “Look at this. Everything is off the hangers.”
Libby joined her and murmured in dismay. “The question is, did they find what they were looking for? This proves something was amiss. Do you know where Ben might have hidden something important?”
Amy stilled. She knew exactly where her brother would have hidden something. But she wanted to be alone when she went there. Instead of answering, she stood on her tiptoes and ran her hand over the shelf. She couldn’t quite reach to the back, but her fingers touched a hard rubber object. When she pulled it down, it was only one of his swim fins.
Little Noah began to fuss in the other room. “I’m going to have to go. He’s hungry, and we’ve got our Bible study tonight. I’ll come over tomorrow and help you look more.”
Amy thanked her and walked her to the living room, then hugged them all good-bye. Once Alec’s SUV pulled away, she dashed out the back door to the grove of trees at the rear of the property. The yard backed up to the state forest. The platform towered above her head in a live oak tree that had spread its branches in a canopy that shaded half the backyard. Their father had built it when he was twelve, and it had fallen into disrepair until she and Ben discovered it when they were about five and thirteen.
The pieces of wood that served as steps looked new. Ben must have replaced them. She planted her right foot on the first rail and climbed the tree. Her knee scraped the rough wood as she hiked her leg onto the platform. She lay panting on the rough boards for a moment, then sat up and looked around. The structure was eight feet square, big enough for the two of them to lie down and stare into the leafy roof over them. But the best thing about this place was no one looked up here, especially adults. It had been a secret haven she and Ben shared.
She got to her feet and found the rope ladder hidden in a tree hole. It had hooks on the top. This was always the tricky part, and Ben was much better at it than she was. She swung the hooks and aimed them at the large branch six feet above her head. The hooks scraped across the limb and fell. She tried again, and this time the hooks caught and held.
After testing the strength of the ladder, she climbed the rungs until she could peer into a hole in the tree that couldn’t be seen from the platform. Whenever she stuck her hand inside, she cringed because she never knew what might be there. Once she’d stuck her hand in a spiderweb and had nearly fallen to the ground in her panic to get the sticky stuff off her fingers.
This time there were no spiders or anything else scary. Instead, there was a book. She pulled it out. It was a leather notebook about six by nine, maybe an address book. The cover was embossed with Ben’s name, and she ran her fingers over it before stuffing it in her waistband and climbing back to the safety of the platform. She opened the book and blinked. It was all in gibberish. Was it some kind of code? She flipped through all the pages, but there was nothing on the few pages she could read.
Something in this book may have led to her brother’s death, but what?
Heather’s footfalls sounded impossibly loud when she stepped into Rosemary Cottage. “Hello?” she called, just to make sure she was alone.
Amy’s car was in the driveway, but that didn’t mean anything. The sea was just through the maritime forest, close enough to walk to the beach, and Amy seemed to spend a lot of time there. The house smelled of some kind of seafood, so Amy had been here.
Heather’s cell phone rang, and she dug it out of her purse. When she saw the name on the caller ID, her heart leaped. “Hello, Grant.”
“Heather, finally! Are you there?”
“Of course. I’ve been here for six days. I expected you to call sooner.” She couldn’t keep the whine out of her voice.
“I’ve been busy.” He sounded impatient. “Did you get your room at Tidewater Inn?”
He might have told her he missed her before he launched into the inquisition. “No, they were full. I’m staying with a nice lady in a cottage a bit off the water. It’s called Rosemary Cottage.”
There was a pause. “You need to get to the inn. You’ll have a better chance to get to know your target. The owners are friends of his.”
“Well, you should have made my reservations so I could have gotten a room. I’m on a waiting list, but it’s going to be at least three weeks before I can get moved over there. There’s a monthlong festival going on.”
“I see.” Grant’s voice was tight. “Maybe it’s just as well. You need to be part of village life so you’re not a suspect, and that length of time will help establish you as more than a tourist.”
“I’ve got a job serving at a local café. That should help make me a familiar face.”
“Good. Have you met the family yet?”
“I met the old lady in the café. She was alone though.”
“It’s a start. Well, keep me posted. We need this done as soon as possible.”
She gripped the phone and tried to think of a reason to keep him on the line. “You have everything ready for the pickup, right? I don’t want to be left high and dry.”
“You call the number I gave you, and I’ll pick you up in a boat out at the old lighthouse. Take a walk out there so you know how to find it. It’s remote, but that ensures no one will see you board the boat. Relax, I’ve got it all covered. And don’t be so skittish. It will show in your actions. I appreciate you doing this. When it’s all over, we’ll take a nice trip to Jamaica, and I’ll make it up to you.”
His smooth voice always got past her defenses. She still remembered the first time she’d seen him. He was thirty-two, too old for her according to her dad, but that just made him more appealing. He reminded her of Ewan McGregor, and his blue eyes seemed to see the real person she was underneath. He’d flirted with her and bought her flowers that day in Atlantic City. They’d struck up an e-mail friendship that soon became more.
Was he ever going to marry her? She didn’t know, but she’d do anything for him, and this trip was all about proving it. “I love you. I wish you could have come with me.”
“I love you too, honey. We’ll be together soon. Be careful and keep me posted.”
Her lips curved. “I will.”
Still smiling, she ended the call. He wouldn’t have called to check on her if he didn’t love her. And he wouldn’t be attending to every detail if he didn’t want to make sure she was safe. He might not be effusive with his words, but his actions showed he cared.
She dropped her phone back in her purse and went upstairs. Every time she’d been here, Amy was around. Heather liked digging into people’s pasts, and Amy hadn’t revealed much about herself. This was the perfect time to snoop. Looking around the spare bedroom that had belonged to Amy’s dead brother hadn’t revealed much of anything.
Heather pushed open the door to Amy’s room and stepped inside. A quilt in blues and white covered the queen bed. The hardwood floors gleamed. The furniture was white too, and the pale blue walls and furnishings were welcoming.
There were pictures on the wall of her and a man. Heather froze when she recognized the man with his hand on Amy’s sho
ulder. Ben. The picture showed a loving relationship between them. His fingers curled around the top of her arm, and he was smiling down at her with an indulgent expression. Amy was laughing as she shook water out of her hair.
Obviously they were close.
Heather moved from the pictures to the dresser and went through the drawers. She found nothing but clothing, so she moved to the closet. She’d begun to push aside the clothing when she heard a sound and whirled to see Amy standing in the doorway.
Amy looked more astonished than angry. “What are you doing?”
“I—I was chilly and didn’t bring a sweater. I looked for you to ask if I could borrow one, but I couldn’t find you.” Heather kept a pleading expression on her face and hoped Amy would buy the explanation.
The question in Amy’s eyes cleared. “I have several sweaters and zip-up sweatshirts.” She went to the dresser and pulled out the bottom drawer. “I’m happy to loan you one. How about this one? It will look good with your hair and skin.” She held up a pink cardigan.
Heather loathed the color pink, but she forced a smile to her face. “Perfect.” Though she was anything but cold, she slipped it on. “I thought we were about the same size.” She started for the door, then paused and glanced back at Amy. “Nice picture there on the wall. Who’s the handsome guy?”
Amy’s smile vanished. “My brother, Ben. He died several months ago.”
Heather thought she managed to keep the shock out of her expression as she mumbled something about being sorry before escaping to the hall. The man she had known as Ben had a different last name. Maybe Grant could tell her what was going on.
NINE
What do you mean you asked Amy to dinner?” Curtis wanted to bolt back to the Coast Guard cruiser in spite of the enticing aroma in the kitchen. He sniffed. “Beef enchiladas?” He’d know that scent anywhere.
“I thought I told you yesterday, Curtis.” A huge red apron covered Edith’s shorts and tank. She vigorously tossed the salad ingredients. “I like her.”
He liked Amy too. That was the whole problem. His gaze landed on Raine, who was putting her doll in its little pink high chair. Well, that isn’t the whole problem. There were pictures that needed putting away, and he had to guard every word while she was here. It would be better to be gone.